This congregation is well aware of how Ebola has impacted Africa, and specifically Liberia. The first two cases of Ebola were diagnosed at the Ganta United Methodist Hospital. Because the hospital is walking distance from Guinea, many come to the UM hospital for medical care. Ebola had its start in Guinea, and then to Liberia.
The hospital th
en had to make radical and costly changes on how it operated. Two of its clinics, an eye surgery unit and a specialized fistula unit, had to be temporarily converted to caring for Ebola patients during this devastating outbreak. Interestingly, unlike other medical facilities, because of careful medical procedures, no deaths to the Ganta medical staff took place.
Now funds are needed to convert these clinics back to their essential original purposes. In an area where 70% of the population are subsistence farmers, local funds just are not available. The US church does not work alone. Significant funding for the eye clinic comes from United Methodists in Germany. Dave Harsh watched some of the surgeries while there.
Funding was difficult before Ebola. You can now imagine the desperate needs for funding at this point to recover this medical ministry. You have the opportunity of being part of saving lives.
Dave Harsh, for the Committee on Mission
